40+ ttc: the one where we all get knocked up!

[ababsurdum]

Shiny new thread. Here's the link to the previous one.

Thank you for your lovely words, Clara. He was a gorgeous little man, and I try to honour him and be the fighter he would expect me to be. And thank you for the invisible virtual flowers, which are every bit as appreciated as the visible virtual ones!

Pies thank you for your thoughts & the flashback to the 90's! I was at uni when D-Mode came up with that little ditty and I thought it was 'the bollocks' (do they say that now?)

So....... had my retrieval. Only 6 eggs. They all seemed quite happy with that, and the consultant said it was only just below average. DH thinks it's great. I think it's shit! The consultant looked quite deflated when my face dropped and I said 'only 6!' But out of 11 follies I was expecting more to play with.

Turns out that my right ovary (which had 5 of the 6 eggs in it) was a bitch to get to. I was immediately in a lot of pain when I came around, and when the consultant came in he said 'I'm not surprised'. He said one nurse had to practically stand on my belly while another one pushed from the inside, because my ovary was tucked up behind a fibroid. He also had to 'dig around a lot' with the needle So, I'm now feeling like I've had major surgery with everything from the belly button down in a lot of pain. I'm also bloated like I'm 5 months pregnant! Hey ho. Let's hope it's worth it and I don't get a call tomorrow to say it was a complete waste of time!!!

Anyway, feet up, telly on, takeaway ordered. Rock n roll xx

Ouch Fuzzy that sounds painful, I hope you're feeling better soon. I'm sure I read that about 75% fertilise and that was the case for me. 6 is not bad, maybe there's an argument that the quality is better if there are fewer. What dosage did they have you on? I think I was on 225 of Gonal F. I'm keeping everything crossed for you.

Thank ababs I'm a lot better today. I'm still tender but I can walk & stuff now!!!

Well, I had the dreaded call. Of my pathetic 6, 3 eggs were immature, and 1 didn't fertilise. So we have 2 little one-day-olds hanging in there. They'll call tomorrow to tell me if either are worth trying to grow for PGS. I suppose that's consistent with the 75% fertilisation rate - 2 out of 3.

I know it only takes one, but she said they like to have 4+ for a reasonable chance of success. I suppose that makes sense, with a 70-80% chance of failure for each embryo. She said that the 2 look very good 'so far', but they'll grade them tomorrow, if they get that far.

Hey ho. This is why I paid for a multicycle plan!

I was on a pretty aggressive short protocol. 375 of menopur, upped to 450 (max dose) after the first scan. I don't think they could have given me much more, but maybe at the WTF meeting we can discuss different drugs.

Yes, they will review the protocol at the wtf meeting but let's not go there yet - you're still in with a chance as of today! Glad you're feeling better otherwise. Walking & stuff is good

Thanks for the PMA ababs

TBH I'm feeling fairly philosophical. It's other people's expectations that are difficult to manage. DH was cockahoop about our half-dozen, and I just wish he'd done more reading about the rate of drop-off, instead of leaving it to me to burst his bubble. My parents seem to think that going for IVF is equivalent to being handed a baby, so they're telling people I should be pregnant by Christmas. I got my dad to watch that Alex Jones documentary to try to help him to get real, but I don't think it sank in.

Never mind. Yes, there's a tiny little chance that one of our little survivors will take after it's big brother and become a big bruiser, so I'll hang onto that until I'm told otherwise xx

Hey fuzzy as I'm constantly reminded it only takes one wee egg to make a child. My fingers are crossed you get your baby.

So I'm 13dpo -I don't usually get to say that often as af is usually here by now. I've only had some tmi alert pink spotting after a bm today (only on wiping nothing after) and same at 10dpo and mild cramping. Usually I have spotting for at least two days before af so I'm thinking this is just an anomalous cycle. My boobs are more painful but I just don't feel pregnant and I've always felt it before (like a full feeling /pressure in my uterus). If it doesn't come overnight I'll consider buying a test but it seems like such a waste of money right now.

Bloop it's sounding promising, they do say that not all pregnancies are the same. I understand your reticence though - getting your hopes up, testing bfn only for AF to arrive the next day is hard and you feel so silly. Hopefully in this case you will get a bfp in the next few days.

Fuzzy I hear you. That's why we told hardly anyone that we were doing ivf. I told one friend who is a doctor before and another afterwards but that was it and no one else even knows now that we did it. I just couldn't bear any extra pressure or pity or having to tell people if it didn't work. Whoops, I did also tell my then boss as I needed flexible working. He was fantastic and let me work from home all of my appointment days. I was, and still am, very grateful to him.

I'm 10 dpo today, not feeling anything. I have two pg tests in the cupboard, trying to hold off for now. AF due Tuesday...

You're right, City, I should get some tests done. Yeah, it's small consolation, but the miscarriage has meant two glasses of wine while watching Strictly tonight.

I'm glad to hear that you can walk again, Fuzzy, that sounds really painful! Fingers, toes, everything crossed that from those two tiny eggs grow mighty kids.

There's no point in wasting your tests til Tuesday, ababs. Be strong! When you do get your bfp, you don't want those first (or second) trimester worries to last any longer.

Sounds cautiously promising, Bloop. Only another day or so until you're back from the wilderness and can test.

You're right pies about not wasting tests... I'm not sure I'll bother testing at all (yeah right) and if I start to get a big(ger) belly that moves on its own (and not as a result of tidal force) i might look at speaking to someone... I'm back tonight

ababs I keep trying to persuade myself that sometimes women just don't know when they are pg but I don't think I wouldn't know. I've always known before. I had all the usual cramping from 9/10dpo until 12 dpo when af was due but it seems to have stopped now. Meh

Ok so I gave in and tested today... bfp - oh shit!

Fingers crossed it sticks.

Waaahhhooooo, Bloop! What marvellous news! Wishing you a happy and healthy and uneventful pregnancy.

Yay Bloop!!!! Congratulations!

Thanks but I'm so scared right now... in a week or two I might be more yay but after last mc I'm so wary.

FANTASTIC!!! Many congratulations Bloop. Totally understand your fears but try to stay positive. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy.

How are things going Fuzzy?

Wise words Pies, I haven't tested yet. 11dpo today.

Yup, totally understand Bloop. That pink line is just a start, but it's a bloody good start!

ababs this morning I had the unusual experience of getting some good news! The 'twins' are both going strong and have been graded 1-2 (1 being perfect) so the embryologist was quite optimistic. I was very surprised! I'm a wee bit hopeful now that one of them might make it, but still prepared for the worst.

Fuzzy that is good news. When will they do the transfer?

Well I tested this morning and bfn. I wasn't expecting anything but still fed up. I have cheered myself up by buying a pair of shoes

Going to call later to see if I can book a HyCoSy. I'm hoping to get just that and not have to do a plethora of other tests/consults too.

fuzzy that's great news!

Great news, Fuzzy! You're having some viability screening done before the transfer, right? Sorry, I don't know the technical terms, but I thought you mentioned it before.

Sorry about the bfn ababs. I hope they're great shoes?

Looks like some good news here - congrats Bloop and Fuzzy - I will keep everything crossed for you both that everything keeps going well.

ababs sorry to hear about the bfn. Don't blame you for treating yourself to new shoes! How is everyone else doing?

I've just had a very positive opk and we dtd this morning so never know, fingers crossed etc (OH likes to just do eod as feels it's too much pressure if he knows exactly when I'm going to ovulate). Of course, I know that opk isn't totally gospel...

Wonderful to read your good news Bloop and Fuzzy...,I have everything crossed that things keep going in right direction for you!

Oh sorry Ababs ;-(. But good move on shoes and hoping your luck comes soon.

I'm 8dpo.. No real clues either way. Felt but sick few days ago but I think just stressed as my stepdad been in hospital.

Does anyone know abt phases? When I got pg before I think I ovulated cd 14/15. Now my cycles have changed and it's more like ov cd 11/12 with cycles around 28 days rather than 29/30 in the past. Is that too early? Don't know if they have time to get ripe by then and if not how to length pre ov phase... Wd love any tips or clues!

Xxx

Hi all! Thanks for the good wishes.

Clara, not sure about your question, but I don't think an 11-12 day follicular phase is a problem. It's more the luteal phase that can be an issue if it's short. Could be wrong though.

So, today's update. One embryo doing ok, now grade 2, 6 cells at day 3 with mild fragmentation, so at the slow end of the 6-10 cell normal range. The other one has decided to race ahead and start compacting already. The embryologist said this typically happens at day 4, but it's not normally a sign of abnormality - just a sign of an embryo that's decided it's in a rush. She was still happy with both.

If either get to blastocyst on day 5 or 6 (or 4 in the case of Speedy Gonzales) they will do preimplantation genetic screening & then freeze them for transfer in a future cycle. We don't have any known hereditary conditions, but in theory it means that only the strongest get put back to minimise the chance of another mc (we've had 3 this year).

Come on Tweedle-dum & Tweedle-dee!

Come on Tweedle-dum & Tweedle-dee!!

Sounds great so far 😊

Not such good news today. The 6 cell has started to compact but should have formed 2 different types of cells by now, but only has one. She thinks it's chances are very low. The one that was compacting yesterday has slowed up and isn't behaving as expected. She thinks that one has more chance than the other, but she was already giving me the spiel about understanding that embryos that don't make it at this stage can't ever have made a healthy baby, and there's no point in doing PGS with embryos that won't survive being frozen.

Hey ho. On to round 2 asap!

Oh no Fuzzy, I'm so sorry. How disappointing for you both . How is your dh taking it?

Did they give you an indication how long you'd need to wait for the second cycle?